Hemisphere
by sanctus-seira
Summary: The Wing Goddess' second descent is not entirely welcomed by the Dragon himself. A decade is, after all, enough time to set two people apart. An Escaflowne continuation fic based on the movie. V&H romance.
1. Descent

** Author's Notes:** First and foremost, thank you for patronizing the work of this neophyte writer whose current desire and purpose in life is to write an Escaflowne fanfic people will deem worthy of their time attention. And before you start reading my first attempt at a break into the Escaflowne fanfiction-dom, I'd like to tell you about a few things.

First, this story's title is taken from a song sung by Maaya Sakamoto for the RahXephon OST. The over-all theme of Hemisphere is likewise taken from the lyrics of the song.

Second, this story is mostly based on the Escaflowne movie "A Girl in Gaea", thus the references to places, elements and the like found only in the movie such as Adom, Torushina, Abaharaki and even Dragon Clan. Should majority of the readers wish for a summary of the movie for their reference, I'd be happy to type out one and include it in future notes.

Third is that in later chapters, author's notes would be found at the bottom of the page. You don't have to read them if you don't want to anyway, but all the same, if you don't have anything better to do, then why not? ;)

Last is that I hope you would give your most honest feedback about this story. It's a pretty ambitious start, I know, but I do hope that by aiming for the moon I'd at least be able to land among the stars. Please read and review!

And with all that said, I hope you enjoy reading "Hemisphere" by sanctus-seira. :D

* * *

** Hemisphere**

By: Sanctus-seira

_ An Escaflowne fanfiction._

Standard disclaimers apply.

* * *

** Chapter One: Descent**

The doors of the King's private study suddenly pushed open. In came Van Fanel, decked in full Fanelian colors, with a confident stride and an overpowering aura. Yet the way his heels clicked as he walked gave him the idea that his very presence worried the King. Indeed it should worry him, for he never left his village unless the circumstances were absolutely dire. And the news he brought might even shock Van, as it did him just a few days ago.

Still he knew the man well enough to know that impediments as trivial as his own anxiety would not stop him from coming with him back to Adom. In his mind, he began to picture how Van Fanel would react to what he said: he would listen pensively to the news he brought; his fists would clench and his scarlet gaze would burn. He would mutter curses here and there, hang his head low or simply stay quiet with nothing but a slight frown on his lips to hint his emotions. And despite everything, even if his advisers stopped him, he would come to Adom.

After all, it was the Dragon's calling…

He stood up and bowed, paying his respects. Van nodded his head in acknowledgement and sat himself behind the large, wooden desk. He opened his mouth to speak.

"What is it Ruhm? What news is so important to tear me from the banquet?" Van said. "And why isn't Merle with you?"

Grace and eloquence – something the old him had possessed in very little quantities. A decade is a long time to change a person after all…

"So many questions my King. Pardon, I cannot answer them all. I didn't come to do that. I've come to make one demand of you, that you should come with me to Adom right away," Ruhm replied. "There is no time to waste."

Without giving Van the time to respond, Ruhm reached into his pockets and pulled out a pendant, a rosy oval, and set it on the King's desk. Ruhm knew that it would convey more than his words ever could. For the briefest moment, Van's eyes widened. For a while, he said nothing, his gazed transfixed on the jewel.

"The luster has never left," he finally said.

"The reason Merle isn't with me is that she is tending her as we speak. Merle and I found her just three days ago, unconscious in the Northeastern Peak," Ruhm explained.

"Unconscious?" Van repeated.

"She fell from the sky; a gift from the god himself."

Van looked away wistfully.

"Why has she come back?"

"I cannot even ask such a question your Majesty."

"What do you mean?"

Not answering the question, Ruhm merely said, "I await your decision."

Van breathed out a sigh.

"I will come with you. We will leave as soon as my horse is ready."

"Thank you, your Majesty."

With that, the King stood up and left.

* * *

Full black eyes followed the two horses and their riders as they faded into the dark expanse of the night. With little knowledge about the King's departure, none of the palace's staff were able to tell her why Van had left the ball to go to his study, why all of a sudden he was riding with a half-animal, where they were headed and how long he would be gone. She sighed, wrapping her petite frame in her own arms. All she could do for the moment was to hope that he would come back soon. She had so desperately waited for the date of the ball so that she could be with him, only to have him taken from her by such an inconspicuous circumstance…

And then they can have the dance he promised her.

The night was young and the sky was clear; numerous stars gleamed above her. The noise from the ballroom was effectively drowned by the silence of the garden she was in.

She decided to walk back to the festivities when she saw Nathaniel, one of the King's most trusted advisers, talking to fellow royal advisers Lord Ezra and Lady Minda. They were talking solemnly, most probably about the King and his sudden departure, and from the looks on their faces none of them seemed to understand why he had left. She walked a little closer and hid behind a tall statue, trying to make out what they were saying.

"What did Ruhm say?" she heard Lady Minda faint voice.

"I don't know," replied Nathaniel. "It was a closed door meeting. Only the two of them knew what had happened inside."

"Do you have any inkling?" Lord Ezra asked.

"Sadly, none."

"This anonymity is making me worried. Certainly there must be a logical explanation for the King's actions!" Lady Minda exclaimed.

"We will let him explain when he comes back," Nathaniel responded.

"But when?"

"That we do not know," said her husband, Lord Ezra.

"But what will we tell the guests?" Lady Minda asked.

"That the King sends his sincerest apologies for not being able to finish the night's festivities. Matters have come to his attention that cannot wait to be addressed," Nathaniel supplied. "Lord Ezra, Lady Minda, we must not let the guests know that we don't know why the King is gone."

"We understand," Lord Ezra said.

"Thank you," Nathaniel replied.

The fading sound of clicking heels made her leave her hiding place and look back in the direction of where the two riders had disappeared. Hand over her heart, she wished for his safety and speedy return.

"My Lady," she heard Nathaniel call. She whirled around, rich black hair billowing to the wind, to see him standing some feet from her. "You'd better come inside. It's getting cold. King Dryden wouldn't want you to be out in such conditions."

She smiled slightly and nodded, walking towards Nathaniel and to the ballroom.

* * *

They rode tirelessly into the night with Ruhm leading the way. They almost didn't speak to one another, with the only exchange regarding changes in the route in favor of a shortcut or a request to stop for a while to let the horses drink. Adom was quite a distance from Fanelia, yet they were able to reach it before the first rays of the sun crept into the horizon.

The journey had taken a good eight hours, at the very least, and it had certainly taken its toll. However Van's mind was not on the fatigue or the pain; it was on the events that had transpired between him and Ruhm inside the Fanelian palace. Few words were spoken between them, but the pendant was enough to convey the entire message: Hitomi was back. The Wing Goddess was back. And the sight of his reflection on the surface of the pink gemstone made the reality of it sink in harder.

He didn't know why or how it happened. The Wing Goddess has arrived in Gaea once more, and if he held true to the legends of the Dragon Clan, then their planet was in for more troubling times. This was a matter he would have to discuss later on with Dryden and the rest of the former Abaharaki. They, as his old comrades, were the first people he should notify about Hitomi's arrival.

Ruhm offered no explanation or any hint of the desire to explain the nature of Hitomi's arrival; it was as if he was leaving the entire question for Van to ask and the answer for him to seek as well. He knew Ruhm was withholding information he would rather that the King not know. As to the reason why this was so, Van could only guess. All of a sudden, he had mixed feelings about the Wing Goddess' descent… A part of him was glad about the prospect of seeing and old friend, but he couldn't quite determine that other, nagging feeling that prevented him from being genuinely happy with Hitomi's arrival. Guilt suddenly overcame him when he realized that he what he was feeling was actually resentment.

_ You shouldn't feel that way, _ a part of him chided. _She is, like what Ruhm said, a gift from the god himself._

The god of war doesn't usually send gifts, doesn't he?

_ What, _ he replied to that inner voice sarcastically, _the gift of war? _The god, of all beings on Gaea, should know how much he resented war after the events from ten years ago.

"Your majesty."

Ruhm's voice pierced through his thoughts like a lethal dagger. He had already finished tying his horse to a nearby tree.

"This way," Ruhm said, slowly walking towards the elders' hut.

Van breathed in deeply and followed in suit.

"My King, I know what you're thinking," Ruhm spoke, his manner of speaking as slow as the steady beat of his footsteps.

_ Do you, really?_

"I know that you're wondering why I wouldn't give you any explanation regarding the Wing Goddess' descent. The truth is I'm not entirely clear about it myself. I too have questions I would very much want to ask her once she wakes up. But for the meantime, she needs care. And it is for this reason that I have asked you to come."

"What do you mean she needs care?" Van asked, slightly alarmed.

"I told you that she fell from the sky, unconscious," Ruhm began. "However I have yet to tell you that ever since the day Merle and I found her, she hasn't woken up."

"We must tell Dryden about this."

Ruhm nodded silently. He turned his head a little to find the pink pendant hanging loosely around the King's neck. Seeing this, Ruhm looked up. Above them was the partially-hidden Mystic Moon, its silvery sheen ethereal.

* * *

Gingerly Hitomi opened her eyes to a weakly-lit room that smelled strangely of musk and incense. The scents were nowhere near nauseating to her, but she couldn't help feeling a weakness in her stomach. She didn't know why or how it came to be because the scents instilled a comfortable calm in her; she felt relaxed. Looking around, she felt a lingering feeling deep inside her that she knew she belonged to this place, the very room she was in at that moment. She noticed that her vision was slightly blurred, owing to the fact that she hadn't opened her eyes for a very long time. How long, however, she didn't know.

She tried to sit up, only to find out that it wasn't just her stomach that was feeling weak. Even her bones were. She fell back on her pillow with a soft thud just as someone else entered the room. She still couldn't see clearly. Was it a him, or was it a her? The outline of the person who just entered knelt down beside her and examined her.

Suddenly, a throbbing pain seared in her, and she couldn't help but close her eyes and bite her lower lip to keep from crying out loud. For some reason, she could also feel her heart grow heavier by the minute, tears forming behind her closed lids.

The person, upon seeing this, immediately rushed out to call for help. In an instant three more came rushing in to check on her.

An ordinary person, with eyes closed, can only see black. Hitomi, however, can only see red.

A teardrop escaped and slid down her cheek as a warm hand placed a cool cloth on her forehead.

A gentle hand wiped it away.

Hitomi felt strangely comforted at the person's touch.

_ "Honestly though, Hitomi, I think you're still depressed," Yukari spoke, tone soft and gentle. She was taking great care to not offend her friend. _

_ Hitomi was surprised. She stopped stirring her drink, and she slowly looked up at her friend. With brows slightly creased and expression somewhat grave, she opened her mouth to speak. _

_ "Why?" _

_ "Because," there was a slight pause, "you still look sad at times, Hitomi. You still have that faraway look in your eyes like you're discontent with your life…Like you want so much more." _

_ Hitomi just looked at her best friend, her expression showing neither signs of resentment nor acceptance to what had just been said. _

_ "Don't I?"_

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED

** Teaser for the next chapter: **

Landings aren't always smooth, even if you have a pair of snow white wings. You've got a couple of rocks on your path and some inconsiderate folks, and when the going gets rough, you just have to make do with what you have. What happens when the person whom you thought would be most happy to see you doesn't seem so? What else happens when you start to realize and understand the very reasons that brought you back in the first place?


	2. Colors

* * *

** Hemisphere**

By: Sanctus-seira

_ An Escaflowne fanfiction._

Standard disclaimers apply.

* * *

** Chapter Two: Colors**

A wise man once said that we are the weavers of our own dreams. Given the needle and thread, we, with the skill of our craft and the nimbleness of our fingers, reveal our innermost desires and unconscious thoughts in wonderfully-sewn images. The nicest part about dreams is that we are the only ones who can see them, thus the reason why many revel in the clandestine portraits produced by their own creativity and imagination.

However, this quintessential characteristic is at the same time the very reason why other people hate them.

Dreams do have a rude way of waking you up at the most unlikely moments through a sudden jolt or an unwelcome jerk. Upon waking, the pieces of what was once a coherent vision would scatter and disappear into the farthest depths of your grey matter like shards of a broken mirror, only to be found later when an unexpected event triggers its awakening.

After all, _the mirror reflects the illusion of a spirit._

* * *

The sun had just set when Hitomi finally opened her eyes again. There was no one inside the room with her, contrary to what she had originally thought. Perhaps they had just stepped out for some fresh air?

The red of her darkness subsided, and she could see the clarity of her vision slowly returning. Carefully, she tried to sit up, wary of the weakness in her stomach and of her bones. She was successful, although the effort exhausted her slightly. After a few more moments she decided to get up and try walking.

Like a calf in its first breathing moments, she had a hard time standing up. Her right knee was weak, and she couldn't feel her left leg at all. For a while she tried the techniques she learned back in her days with her high school track team. When she finally succeeded in restoring some feeling into her legs, she was able to stand.

She decided to go out and explore. She wanted to run.

And run she did.

She took one step outside and looked at her surroundings. A single glance at the simple houses and the few content folk walking side by side made her realize where she was. No wonder she felt so at ease! Wanting some evidence to prove her correct, she looked up in the sky. There it was, the Mystic Moon, looking down on her with all its glory.

"Adom," she whispered. The name came from her lips as easily as a native's did when speaking his native tongue. Her heart leaped. She turned to her right, saw no one was there, and went in that direction, knowing full well where it would lead to: the mountain peaks. And gathering all the vigor she had left within her, Hitomi ran.

_ "When you run, it's as if someone's chasing you," Kaji told her. "Or it's as if you're running after something you're afraid to lose." _

_"How do you think so?" Hitomi asked. _

_"I see it in your eyes," he replied. "There's always that faraway look in them." _

_ "That's the second time someone told me that," she smirked, quite thoughtful. _

_ "Really? Who else did?" _

_ "Yukari. She told me the other day." _

_ "Well, it's true... And whenever I see that in your eyes, I always ask myself if I'm enough for you." _

_ "Nonsense!" Hitomi exclaimed. "Why do you ask yourself that question?"_

_ "Actually, Hitomi, it does make a little sense," Kaji frowned. The knot on his forehead, which she adored about him, appeared. "You don't seem satisfied with what you've attained. Athletic prowess, worldwide acclaim, vast wealth, and of course love – they never seem to be enough. For you, I don't know if this world will ever be enough."_

_ "Kaji…"_

_"I love you, Hitomi," he whispered, clasping tightly both her hands in his. "But I'm worried that it might not be enough."_

The pieces of what was once a coherent vision then scattered and disappeared into the farthest depths of her grey matter like shards of broken mirror…

She thought she could never run like the wind within her lifetime, but it seemed that she was doing so at that very moment. For the longest time, running like the wind had been her only goal, her single motivation for joining the track team. It had been her dream since childhood, first starting out from the desire to escape the punishments her parents would give her after misbehaving.

But now, she had a different motivation for running.

_Run away from everything… Run away from everyone. Just you… Nothing will harm you. _

It was as if at that very instant, the entire world was helping her, carrying her off her feet.

In a blur, she sped past the world – an unimportant part of her that could pass her by without her noticing. As she ran, the conversation from not too long ago rang in her mind. Thoughts and memories of her life in the Mystic Moon engulfed her, rendering her oblivious to all that was round her. Like a camera set on slow motion, she saw images of her family and friends, loved ones and mere acquaintances – people who have made an impact in her life no matter how big or small. There they were, just within her grasp. She reached out, only to find out that they were actually intangible.

She stopped, panting for breath. She wasn't sure exactly where she was, but hell, she was tired. She fell to her knees, one hand over her breast and another steadying herself as she tried desperately to calm her breathing. Her feet were tired, and her legs were sore. Worse comes to worst she'd be stuck in bed the whole day tomorrow out of fatigue.

"Kaji," she whispered in between breaths. When she lifted her eyes to survey her surroundings, it only took a moment for her to realize where she was. She was back at the cliff where she had bid goodbye to Van a decade ago, where she, on a pair of snow white wings, left for the Mystic Moon.

Hitomi closed her eyes and bit her lip pensively.

In front of her, the sun set, its brilliance disappearing behind the mountains of Gaea.

"I'm sorry…"

* * *

"A dream," he whispered. "Indeed things are more complicated than they actually seem."

He watched and listened, thankful that his skills of stealth had never really left him even after the long ten years. Casually leaning on the trunk of a large, shady tree, he gazed intently at her panting form. He was like a predator studying his prey, waiting for the right moment to emerge from his hiding place and attack.

Trying to break his own ice, Van shook his head quite vigorously. Having already been tempered by the black, messy locks that partially hid them from view, his scarlet gaze softened a little more at the sight of her still form. He cupped his face in both his hands and sighed softly.

He looked up to see Hitomi shift her position so that she was now lying flat on her back. She looked straight up at the sky and smiled weakly. Not quite understanding his own hesitance, he scratched his head exasperatedly and hunched his back even further in incensed frustration.

"And there's also Gaea to think about."

He had said that last statement a tad bit too loud, however, because an instant later, Hitomi suddenly sat up, alert.

"Who's there?" she called out.

He suddenly felt like killing himself for such carelessness.

* * *

"Who's there?" she repeated. "Answer me!"

Slightly incensed at the thought of someone watching her during her most unguarded moments but more fearful of the possibility of an attacker, Hitomi raised her brows and steadied herself. Instincts told her to prepare, just in case, and that was what she did. However doubt reigned in her when she realized that she wasn't going to be able to defend herself effectively. After not having had any solid food for three days, how would she be able to deliver a straight punch?

Instantly, Hitomi heard the sound of movement. Her whole body turned towards its direction. Looking up at the sky, only a few rays of the sun permeated the land. And just as the Mystic Moon's soft luster began to shed its own light on the fast darkening cliff, a figure began to emerge from a tree some feet away.

Unwittingly, Hitomi stepped back.

The figure was tall and dignified. It was unrecognizable. Hitomi squinted to get a clearer view, but the area where the figure stood was too dark for her to identify who it was.

"Step into the light," she called out.

And the figure obliged, head hunched low. It walked slowly, stopping under the spot where the moon's beams shone brightest. The minute it looked up, Hitomi instantly recognized who the figure was.

_ "Someday, we will meet again."_

Their gazes were locked with one another. Neither knew who was supposed to speak first, nor what they were supposed to say. For a long while, they just stood still…

Surprise was written all over Hitomi's face during the first few minutes of silence, but finally, her face began to soften and her eyes began to sparkle. Van, whose face was clearly illuminated by the Mystic Moon's glow, was hesitant to approach her, unsure of how she would react to this first meeting. He knew that sooner or later, one of them would have to break the ice, but his feet were immobile. He couldn't move, no matter how much he wanted to.

Across him Hitomi began to quiver slightly, her slim form drawing in slow, heavy breaths. And if she saw him clearly, he couldn't do the same; she was against the light.

Suddenly Hitomi drew in a sharp gasp and ran towards him. She pressed herself to him in a tight embrace, a string of tears falling down her cheeks.

"Finally, a familiar face," she whispered shakily.

Van was stunned by the gesture. An embrace was the least he expected of Hitomi, the woman he had not seen in the past ten years. And without stopping to think about what he was about to do, Van wrapped his arms around her, returning the embrace with as much fervor as hers. He felt the tears, hot against his own cool neck, and held her silently.

_"I want to be with you always…" _

He sighed as Reason and Emotion fought a war in him, the subject being the woman he held in his arms at that very moment.

Reason told him that he should not welcome Hitomi, mindful of the possible consequences her presence might bring. Dryden's words about the reason for the Wing Goddess's descent rang like a mantra in his mind; too bothered after hearing them the first time, they had always lingered in the depths of his consciousness, surfacing whenever he thought about Hitomi and her possible return. The pendant hung loosely around his neck at that very instant, the coolness of the gem against his flesh being a painful reminder of the last decade's war.

However Emotion spoke otherwise. Despite the hundreds of arguments Reason gave in order to convince him that he was not doing the right thing, Emotion only gave him one, something Van knew deep in his heart that no argument would ever refute.

_But things are more complicated than they actually seem…_

Memories of their time together flashed in his brain like real-life enactments. Scenes from past events played before him, and he felt himself once more reliving the raw emotions. He held her tightly and saw once more the war's red, the sky's blue and night's black. It was upon seeing his vision's white that Emotion won the internal battle and calmed him. It was then that a single, coherent thought filled his brain: _It would be wonderful if he could only claim her as his own._

Reason conceded. Van understood.

And at that very moment, his internal war ceased, a feeling of contentedness subduing his entire being.

_At least, for now…_

* * *

Four days after the King's sudden departure, Nathaniel was on the brink of desperation. There was no response from the King about their inquiries, and all messengers they had sent to Adom to ask him to come home had all been sent back, alone. All the messengers were able to do was to assure Nathaniel of his safety, and nothing else. The king gave strict orders that they keep secret all that they saw and heard while at Adom, and such was the loyalty of the men to their King that no amount of goading from the Royal Adviser could make them talk. All three men he had sent had all given him the same single, nonsensical statement from the monarch, which only prompted Nathaniel to worry more about the King and the country's state of affairs.

Of course, Ruhm was of no help either. Van's word was the law at Adom, and no one dared question his judgement. He was, after all, the Dragon they so revered.

"Sometimes I just can't help but think he's already given up on this country," Nathaniel whispered spitefully.

Suddenly he wanted to curse Van. When he came back, he would slap him senseless and burn him to the stake, not before making him promise that he would never ever leave Fanelia without telling them why. He wanted to scold the young King for leaving him and the rest of the Royal Advisers alone to run Fanelia as if nothing were happening, while he was probably off gallivanting at Adom.

He tried to ignore it, but there was still a lingering feeling of guilt inside of him for having to think ill of his King. However, frustration was the more dominant feeling at that moment and he couldn't help but feel the way he did.

He would do his penance later.

Nathaniel looked out of the window of his study and cursed. The sun had set hours ago, and the night was starless. They were probably going to be in for some rains in the next few days, another change in the seasons. The night was as dark as the prospects of the King returning that same night, or the next morning for that matter. No one, except himself, knew what was on Van's mind and when he was going to come home.

"Damn it, Van. You'll be dead once I'm through with you," he grumbled.

There was a knock on the door, and Nathaniel yelled for it to be opened. In walked two handmaids and the Lady Desteria, a member of the family of Fassa, whose most prominent member was Dryden, the wealthiest Fassa and the former financier of the rebel group Abaharaki. The lady stopped in front of his desk and curtsied politely. Nathaniel nodded in acknowledgement and asked her to sit herself comfortably.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit my lady?" he asked.

"I would just like to ask if you have any more news about the King," Desteria replied, her smooth, cool voice as piercing as the black of her gaze.

"I'm sorry, my lady, but my answer is still the same."

"Indeed, that is regretful. But are you sure your messengers do not have anything to share?"

"I have tried and exhausted so much effort in making them speak of what had happened in Adom, however they have been sworn to secrecy by the young King and their loyalty to him is far too great," Nathaniel explained. "I do not want to torture them just so that I would know what has happened to Van."

"I understand."

"Rest assured, my lady, you will be informed as soon as we have received news from the King," Nathaniel said. "Your concern for him is most appreciated."

"Of course," she replied. "He is one of my cousin's most valued friends."

"We're sorry that Lord Dryden and the Lady Millerna were not able to stay longer and see the King's arrival."

"They both feel the same way. That is why my cousin let me stay here to bear him news," she said. Sensing that Nathaniel had nothing else to tell her, nor did he have the will to carry on a longer conversation, Lady Desteria stood up and curtsied. "I must get going now, Lord Nathaniel.

It is late, and I must get some sleep."

"Have a good rest then my lady," was his response, also standing up out of courtesy.

"Thank you once again."

"You're most welcome."

Lady Desteria exited the study with her two handmaids and retreated to her chamber. Minutes later, Nathaniel decided that he should do the same.

* * *

He couldn't sleep. He was more restless than he had been in the past four days. A voice inside him was telling him that something was about to happen, and that he should stay awake in case something did happen.

Suddenly he heard the sound of hushed voices and the rustle of feet from the corridor outside. His curiosity was instantly perked. Taking his robe and wrapping it around his night garments, he stepped outside his room and into the vast corridor of the Fanelian palace's east wing. Guards shielded three people from his view: two females, one shorter than the other, and one male, with a strangely familiar build. The man and the guards were ushering the two women to a room he recognized to be Merle's.

Nathaniel frowned.

He watched as the two female figures slipped inside Merle's room, leaving the man alone with the guards. As soon as their door closed the guards bowed to the man and left, instantly giving away his identity. Nathaniel clenched his fists and raised a brow. Right after the guards had disappeared down the corridor, he walked towards the man who was about to disappear behind the door to his quarters and gave him a hard punch.

The man, of course, was able to deflect it.

"Nathaniel, what is it?" was the response.

"Van, you owe me an explanation, and I am not letting you sleep until you give me one," Nathaniel threatened, clutching the King by his collar.

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED

** Author's Notes: **

Okay, so the chapter turned out to be slightly different from the teaser I had included in the previous chapter. (And so to avoid that I will no longer be providing teasers… it's embarrassing if you don't live up to your word.) What I had originally had in mind was totally different from what I ended up writing, but I like it much better this way. I have finally introduced Van's conflicting Reason and Emotion, which will probably end up being the main conflict of this story if I don't get to think of something better. I do intend to keep this story as simple as possible, and early on you may rule out major wars and expeditions from the plot. I have no intention of writing anything as huge as that. And just to tell you, I have already thought of the perfect ending for this story, which of course I will not reveal to you all lest you strangle me to death. I think I will be strangled anyway once this story's done… a lot of you might not like it. ;p

Also, I'd like to plug my website, s1mon3blogspotcom (replace the underscores with the proper tags, or just click the link at my author's page), which you can turn to for a better-formatted version of this story just in case ruins my story's formatting yet AGAIN. Please, please, I'd like to clarify that the Chapter 1 you've read was not the Chapter 1 I wrote in terms of line spacing and italics. RUINED the first chapter, and I highly suggest visiting s1mon3blogspotcom for the better-written one. I know will also kill this chapter's formatting, so you may choose to visit that place instead of reading the fanfic here at if you want. I'll be posting all the chapters there anyway, complete with longer notes, better formatting and more random babble. You can leave comments there if you like, which is similar to leaving reviews at Nifty! :D

Thanks to everyone who's reviewed the story! I hope you liked this first chapter. I'm looking forward to your reviews (and to other people's as well). Your most honest feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much! I will begin work on the third chapter as soon as possible.


	3. Delicate

* * *

** Hemisphere**

By: Sanctus-seira

_ An Escaflowne fanfiction._

Standard disclaimers apply.

* * *

** Chapter Three: **** Delicate**

"Really now, Nathaniel," Van said. "Pressure doesn't become you."

"Well, Van, if you were left by your king for four days without a single word as to where he was going to or who he was with or why he was going with everyone pressuring you for answers to the same questions you're asking and tasking you with the responsibility of keeping Fanelia running as smoothly as before while making sure that no rumors of the king's disappearance would leak from the palace, wouldn't you be as jittery as I had been?" Nathaniel replied, arching a brow in mock indignation.

"Infuriated even," Van humored him, taking a look at the young adviser. He saw that he was now more handsome compared to the night before, now that he was rested and comforted with the return of his King. Inwardly, Van laughed. He admired and respected Nathaniel for his skills and fair features, but the man was just not cut to withstand intense pressure. Undeniably though, like the majority of his council, he was smart. His intelligence would enable him to last for at least half a year without Van's steadfast presence and leadership, but longer than that, he would probably give. With his intelligence, however, he would debate with the oldest and wisest of Van's council with skill and effortless ease, earning him the admiration and respect of not only the council but even the king himself. Whatever job was given to him he accomplished to the best of his abilities. Also, he was a good swordsman, cutting Van once or twice in many a spar. But no one was good enough to actually beat Van face down in a battle yet. Unless, however, you count Allen Schezar who had once sent him on his knees more than a decade ago, but since then, has not succeeded again.

"It's good that we're both keen on that," Nathaniel answered.

"Of course we are. You aren't my adviser for nothing," Van grinned.

"I say, though, you're going to have to tell everyone who the lady is else you spread more rumors about your personal life," Nathaniel warned.

"And that's exactly what I'm going to do, but it's not just to quell any rumors that may arise. The recent rumors are ridiculous though. Don't they have anything better to do than wonder about me and my sexual preferences? Don't I look man enough for them?" the King curled his brows as he and Nathaniel walked down the wide hallway. "Honestly. I thought they trusted me."

"Ever the transparent King, I'm sure they trust you with running the country. But that doesn't necessarily equate to trust with 'running your self'. And about those rumors, I think everyone is just wondering how you could remain a bachelor with your good looks," came the flattering response. "Personally, though, my doubts about you have been settled."

"Oh, so you were one of them?" Van asked testily. "And may I ask exactly what settled your doubts?"

"A realization," Nathaniel replied simply.

Van frowned on his adviser and said, "Which was?"

"About you."

"Nathaniel, you're killing me!"

"Van, Van, not quite. I'm not yet killing you. I perfectly understand your situation. I know that a man subjected to pressure as intense as yours wants to break free once in a while and take a rest. A man like you needs excitement once in a while, and your days at Adom gave you just that."

"What? I don't understand you! But I do understand that you're getting even just now. And how you enjoy it," retorted the King.

"Oh no, no, my King, how could I ever enjoy torturing you?" Nathaniel teased.

"Oh yes, my royal adviser, how could you ever," Van grinned, shaking his head.

"You have a lot more to tell me Van," Nathaniel said.

"About what?" Van asked.

"About your past together."

"What do you mean?"

"You perfectly know what I mean."

"On the contrary, I don't understand."

"I thought you were smarter than that."

"Sorry to disappoint you."

"Well I'm not really disappointed --"

"My Lord Nathaniel," a page interrupted. "I apologize for the interruption, but there is something you forgot back at your study."

At this Nathaniel slowed a little and thanked the page for bringing the object to him, allowing Van to take a few steps' lead towards the end of the hall. The Great Chamber, the venue of the Fanelian Royal Council's meetings, was situated at the middle of the palace's western wing. Walking from the eastern wing, where the bedrooms were located, to the western wing, where the offices and function rooms were located, took a very long time. It would take a few more minutes until the pair reached their destination.

This gave Van ample time to briefly look back at the events of the past four days, and how he would tell them to his council. As briefly and as quickly as he could, he ran through his mind everything that he would tell the majority. The words had to be carefully picked, worded and said.

Inwardly, the young king sighed.

_I hate politics._

They had reached the Great Chamber's doors which were wide open for them to enter. There was a huge fuss from inside as the lords and ladies shuffled to go to their proper places, hushing one another to keep quiet about whatever gossip they had been talking about before the king arrived. Van turned to the guards positioned a few feet from him, receiving last minute instructions from their captain. The king called this captain and spoke to him in a hushed voice.

"Once we get in, check that all the men and women inside the Chamber are members of my council. Usher out all men and women who are not. If anyone tries to resist you, call my attention immediately," he ordered. "Then, close all doors, windows, and any other opening to the chamber people may use to eavesdrop on this meeting. Distribute your men outside those doors and windows. Let no one get in or out of the Chamber while you will stand outside the main entrance. Do not open any door, especially the main entrance, until you hear my voice telling you to do so. Understood?"

The captain nodded mutely and bowed. He then returned to his men and gave the king's instructions. Nathaniel looked at the king queerly, not quite understanding why he had not told him that it was going to be a closed door meeting. Come to think of it, there were so many things that he did not understand about the young king as of the moment, but he thought it wisest not to pester Van any further with more questions. After all, there was a limit to the man's patience, and he knew that he was almost exhausting all of it.

So the royal adviser cleared his throat and bowed politely to his king.

"Shall we go in, your Majesty?" he asked.

Van nodded and walked in. He was once more his usual self, being decked in full Fanelian colors and exhibiting his confident, overpowering aura. At his entrance, every lord and lady in the Chamber rose to greet him. No matter how many times the young king would enter the Chamber for their council meetings in the same, regal manner, they would never cease to be amazed of the elegance and authority the boy exuded.

Nay. He was no longer a boy. Many would nod their heads and agree that the boy who once fought as the Abaharaki's premier fighter was already a man. This man was the same King of Fanelia whom they had all pledged to serve. This man, despite the mystery behind his four-day disappearance, was the same king they would continue to trust and lay their life for.

Van approached his throne at the end of the Chamber, bowing his head in acknowledgement of the greetings his constituents had given him upon entering. He sat down and, after making himself comfortable, signaled that everyone else should follow. As the council of lords and ladies sat themselves, Van looked around to check that the captain of the guard had followed his orders to the letter. To the bewilderment of the many lords and ladies, the guards sealed all windows and doors – except the main entrance – to the chamber, while the captain of the guard made his rounds to check that his men were doing what they were ordered to do. When everything was set, the captain turned to the king and bowed, to which Van acknowledged with a curt nod. The captain then gathered all his men and left through the main entrance, closing it as soon as the last guard had stepped outside.

The huge wooden doors clicked shut yet no one dared to question the strange occurrence. Such was the king's power over his subjects. All of them merely sat on their respective seats, waiting from the explanation that would inevitably come from their leader.

"A good morning to you all," Van greeted.

A chorus of good-morning-to-you-too's followed promptly.

"I have called you all to this meeting because I have something of utmost importance to relay to you, the subject of my disappearance during the last four days," Van continued. "I'm sure that you have all heard from Lord Nathaniel that I have arrived last night with two companions – the Lady Merle and another woman, a woman most of you have not seen until now."

Whispers of the most unholy insinuations suddenly filled the room. Van decided to ignore this, but not without narrowing his gaze.

"I entreat you all not to make any judgment of my actions until you hear what I have to say."

Heads nodded in agreement. No one dared to speak. The room was deathly silent to the point that they could almost hear each other's heartbeats.

"I was called from the ball by one of the guards because according to him, someone with a very important message was waiting for me inside my study. I went there and found Ruhm of Adom, seated calmly, waiting for me. He had but one thing to say, that I must come with him immediately to Adom. According to him, there was no time to waste. And in order to convince me, he laid out a single item in front of my eyes: a pink gemstone hanging from a simple chain.

"Even those of you who had been with me since the start of the Fanelian Restoration do not know what the pink gemstone means to me, and allow me to tell you all now. That pink gemstone Ruhm showed me was the same one used to call upon Escaflowne during the war against the Black Dragon Clan a decade ago. That pink gemstone appeared and disappeared with the Wing Goddess."

The same rush of whispers that filled the room just a few minutes ago came back with a greater intensity, some of them already loud enough for the king to clearly understand. The atmosphere was tense and a lot of people were agitated with the news. There was a faint wave of excitement taking over everyone, and the whispers began to get louder.

"There is more to tell."

The council settled down at the king's statement, and in the silence that ensued, Van told more of his story.

"You all know of my history as a warrior of the Abaharaki," he continued. "You all know of my comrades, most of whom are now powerful world leaders and trusted allies of Fanelia. You are also aware of my responsibility as the sole survivor of the Dragon Clan. The Wing Goddess, the girl from the Mystic Moon, lent me immeasurable help during the war by giving life to the armor Escaflowne and lending me its legendary power. She used the pink pendant to summon it, although most of the time, the jewel seemed to have a will of its own. Without her and her power, the war couldn't have been won."

He emphasized this last sentence a little too much for his own liking, but he knew that he had to impress upon the entire council the importance Hitomi played in the last war. It was a necessary measure…

"Yes, it's true. Without the Wing Goddess, the war couldn't have been won," Lord Ezra suddenly said. His gaze was soft and his lips were curved into a small, gentle smile. He looked like he was in the middle of a beautiful dream. "I saw it, ten years ago. The same time His Majesty flew down from the fortress, I saw the feathers, hundreds – no, thousands of them – fall from the sky the moment the Black Dragon Clan's fortress collapsed at Torushina. They were white and soft, as if freshly plucked from the wings of an angel. I'll never forget that sight."

"And like you with the feathers, Lord Ezra, I never forgot how the gemstone looked like when Ruhm laid it out before me a couple of nights ago, I was startled. I knew the hidden message that the stone wanted to convey: _the Wing Goddess has returned_. He then proceeded to say that he and Merle had found her unconscious at the Northeastern Peak of Adom three days ago, and has not woken since then."

"The Wing Goddess has come back?" one of the councilors suddenly said, albeit meekly. This was followed by another wave of whispers and side comments all about the Wing Goddess and her return. Van took a glance to Nathaniel's side and smirked ever so slightly. The young adviser scowled at him, reminding him of his manners.

"Yes, she has come back," came Van's slow confirmation. The whispers began to dissipate. "And I have also brought her back to the palace with me."

"To the palace?" was the same reaction from a group of lords and ladies towards the end of the hall.

"Then she must be welcomed with a celebration!" exclaimed one of the lords. This statement was immediately followed by the excited, yet hushed chatter of all the lords and ladies of the council.

"Yes! We must hold another ball!" a lady added.

"A masque even! And let us proclaim to the whole of Gaea that she is back with us! This is cause for celebration!" an exuberant youth cried to his colleagues.

Van was surprised, to say the least, upon hearing the reaction of his council. So much for his original intention of asking them to keep quiet about the matter at the end of the meeting.

"But why?" a lady asked, apparently piqued with curiosity. "Why, my Lord, has she come back?"

"I still do not know," was the monarch's honest reply.

"Neither does she?" the same lady asked.

"If she does, she doesn't tell me," Van replied patiently.

"Oh…"

"But we must celebrate, my King!" the Lady Verona cut in. "We must celebrate not just because she has returned to grace Fanelia, but also because of her efforts in the past war. If I remember correctly, we were not able to thank her properly ten years ago."

A chorus of agreements to the suggestion began to fill the entire room. Everyone was excited about the idea, some of the ladies even going as far ahead talking about the dresses they would wear and the preparations their families would make. To say the least, both Van and Nathaniel were overwhelmed with the reaction the court was showing them. They hadn't at all expected this, except maybe in their wildest fantasies.

After much lively discussion among themselves on the celebration, a lord then asked Van what he thought about the idea. Van merely gave a small smile and passed the question to Nathaniel, who had been quiet all the time.

"I think, that too pompous a celebration would risk the security of our guest," Nathaniel answered. "If I remember correctly, many attempts have been made to kidnap the Wing Goddess because the enemy wanted to use her power for their own cause," he continued. "And that was even when not many knew of her existence, thinking her merely to be stuff of legends and myths that won't ever come true."

"But this era is a time of peace," an old lord reminded. "The few threats that we have are from groups of rebels and the usual robbers, and Fanelia has proven to be more than capable of dealing with them efficiently. I'm confident in our security forces' ability to protect the guests who will be attending the celebration, especially that of the Goddess'. Have we not had a few balls before? Weren't they all safe?"

"But I agree with Nathaniel," Van said. "And though the good lord has pointed out that this is an era of peace, we still cannot jeopardize the Goddess' safety. For all we know, there might be old allies of the Black Dragon Clan who would be intent on taking her life for revenge. They have, after all, wanted to claim mine for ten years now."

The hopes of majority of the council began to dwindle upon hearing the King's statement.

"I do not wish to hold a grand welcome for the Goddess, and trust me, she would not like one either," he began. Faces began literally droop in disappointment, and Van couldn't help but laugh inwardly at the child-like spectacle his council was exhibiting. "But we may, if you insist, have a more intimate celebration and invite old comrades from the Abaharaki that now reside in Torushina."

"True. True. That would be better," piped up old Lady Ethel.

"Indeed, my Lady," Nathaniel agreed. "I think that would be better too."

* * *

Merle was speechless. Her lips, now parted to form a pretty little circle, and her comical facial expression were becoming the subject of Hitomi's ardent laughter as the two girls sat on a bench in the middle of the palace's garden. The sun was high up in the sky, but thankfully the weather wasn't too warm. The air smelled sweet, the plants looked fresh from the gardener's latest watering, and the soothing sound of flowing water from the fountain in front of them was the perfect, final touch to the peaceful atmosphere of the palace garden.

"So let me get this straight," Merle finally said after a few moments of silence. "You run for a living? Like run 'put one foot forward and the other foot forward really really fast'? And people pay you tons and tons of money just to run a few stretches?"

"Yes," Hitomi replied as her laughter started to subside.

"That is what you've been doing for the past ten years?" Merle added, incredulously.

"Not really Merle," the other girl answered. "I've been to school. I finished university with a degree on Physical Education, and then I pursued running as a way of living."

"Oh. Okay. So you've been to school. How long did you study?"

"Some four to five years," Hitomi replied quite thoughtfully.

"So you've been running professionally for the past 5 years?"

"Yes. Professionally, 5 years. Non-professionally, another 5 years before that."

"So for the last ten years that we haven't seen each other, majority of them you spent running?"

"Yes," Hitomi laughed. "Is it so hard to believe?"

"Well no one does that here," Merle muttered, still unable to believe what Hitomi had told her.

"I guess it would be hard to do here," Hitomi said. "After all, without sponsors and sports leagues, I don't think an athlete here would be able to survive the way we do at the Mystic Moon."

"Is that what you're called back there? An athlete?" Merle asked curiously.

"Yes, that's what we're called," confirmed her companion. "But there aren't many people like me on the Mystic Moon. It really takes great skill and talent before someone can become a professional athlete. I had to work really hard to get to where I am now."

"And you like it, don't you?" Merle piped up.

"Of course I do. I wouldn't be running for ten years if I didn't. Running professionally is such an experience. I met so many people I wouldn't have met otherwise."

"Really? People like who? Like a special someone?" Merle teased.

At this Hitomi blushed, but however slight the pink tinge was on her cheeks, it didn't fail to escape Merle's attentive eyes.

"So you do have a special someone at the Mystic Moon!" the cat-girl exclaimed. "Don't you? Hitomi, speak up! Do you or do you not? Come on. I want to know who's competing with Lord Van."

"Merle!" Hitomi cried out, embarrassed.

Some meters away, Lady Desteria was walking with her two handmaids under the shelter of the elaborate walkway that framed the perimeter of the palace garden. With most of her usual company attending the council meeting King Van had called that morning, she was left to find her own leisure by walking by the palace gardens. At that moment, she couldn't help overhearing the conversation of the two girls since they were talking at unusually loud volumes, especially Merle. Lady Desteria paused by one of the columns, drawn by the gaiety the two girls were exhibiting, and wanting some privacy of her own, she ordered her two handmaids to fetch a shawl she had left at her room in the other wing.

The two maids left and Lady Desteria was alone. Leaning against the same column, she listened to the intimate conversation the two girls were having. Even though their backs were turned to her, she was still able to see their heads and hear them well. She learned that Merle's companion was named Hitomi, that she was from the Mystic Moon, and that they haven't seen each other in a decade. Her interest was instantly piqued upon learning this, for she found it hard to believe that the girl whom Merle called Hitomi was really from the Mystic Moon.

_Was it possible for someone from the Mystic Moon to come here to Gaea? _

"Come on Hitomi! Tell me your story!" Merle persisted, taking hold of Hitomi's arm and shaking it quite violently. Hitomi merely smiled and clamped her mouth shut just to tease her friend, but as it turned out, Merle wasn't patient enough to last long.

"Hitomi! Get on with it! Or else I'll scratch you with my newly-filed paws!" Merle threatened, showing a newly-sharpened nail for added effect.

"Okay, okay Merle! I was just teasing," Hitomi giggled, not the least bit threatened by the menacing nail. "I'll tell you. I'll tell you. Now could you please let go of me?"

Merle agreed and settled comfortably at her original position, eagerly waiting for Hitomi to start.

"What do you want to know about?" Hitomi asked.

"Everything!" squealed the cat-girl. "His name, how you met, what you liked about him, what he looks like, and all the details, even the unnecessary ones!"

"Wow. Everything? Well… I guess. His name is Kaji, and we met during a sportsfest organized by a company for the benefit of the homeless children. That company plus some others gathered the top athletes of the country I lived in to participate in the events of at least 5 sports, I think."

"So you're a top athlete?" Merle cut in.

"Well, I wouldn't be in the National team if I weren't," Hitomi retorted. "Anyway, the sportsfest wasn't just a sporting activity because the hot shots of society decided to hold parties for both the opening and closing of the event. Naturally all participants attended these parties. I was there, and Kaji was there. A mutual friend introduced the two of us together, probably thinking that we would make a great couple. There. That's how we met."

"But how did you become 'it', Hitomi?"

"What do you mean?"

"How did he become your special someone?"

Hitomi paused for a bit to think over the question, grinning when she finally understood what Merle meant.

"Oh, that. Kaji kept on calling me after the sportsfest, even going as far as watching my meets even though I didn't invite him," Hitomi explained. "I was able to introduce him to my best friend, Yukari. You remember her, don't you?"

"Yukari… Yes! Yukari. I remember her. You talked about her before."

"I introduced Kaji to her, and since then, Yukari has been adamant about getting me and Kaji together. In the end it did become us… Actually, it's still 'us' even now. We haven't formally broken up before I came here. Besides, I didn't even think I'd come back."

"Why not Hitomi?" Merle asked.

"I just didn't think I would ever be able to," was Hitomi's soft reply.

At this the two girls fell quiet, and Lady Desteria's brows knotted in confusion as questions about Hitomi's identity flooded her brain.

_Come back? Does she mean that she was here even before? When? How come I haven't seen her before? Who is she, really?_

"What drew you to him?" Merle asked, breaking the silence.

"Physically, he's a very beautiful man with short brown hair, brown eyes too, and a fair complexion. He's tall, and has a very well-built body. He does play soccer after all," Hitomi answered softly. "He's also an affectionate man, never failing to let me know how much he loves me. He'd do anything for me, even the smallest things. And he appreciates me for even the smallest things. He told me once that he liked the special way I ate ice cream on a cone. I told him that there wasn't much difference in my manner of eating with anyone who would stand beside me, but he said there was, and that it was one of the things that made him love me."

"How sentimental."

"Yes, he gets too sentimental sometimes, but he's incredibly insightful. He was the only person who gave an entirely different perspective about the reason I ran."

"Well Lord Van's insightful too. He just doesn't talk as much," Merle muttered under her breath.

"You said something Merle?" Hitomi asked, brows knotted slightly.

"No! No. I didn't say anything. Ah, Hitomi, what did he tell you about your running? That Kaji guy?"

Suddenly Hitomi's gaze became wistful. She looked away from Merle as she replied, "He said two things; either that I was running away from something, or running after someone I was afraid to lose."

"Which of the two is true?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe they're both true."

"I don't know."

"What do you think?"

"I don't know."

"Sheesh, Hitomi. Nice answers," Merle feigned mockery.

Hitomi chuckled and returned, "I know Merle. I'm sorry."

"Nah. You don't have to be sorry. If there's one thing I know about love, it's that it can be a pretty complicated thing."

"Well, you seem to have grown up," Hitomi remarked.

"Of course! You weren't the only one who did some growing up during the past ten years. Everyone did; Lord Van especially. After the war, after you left, he had to rebuild his country all alone. Well of course he did have help from Allen and Dryden. They remain his good friends until this day. But the fact remains that he had to grow up a little too fast to become a good king to his people, and it's quite sad," Merle said softly.

"I'm sure Van is a great king to his people," Hitomi said. "I've always been confident of his abilities, even before the end of the war. I'm sure Fanelia must love him a lot."

"Oh, we all do Hitomi," was Merle's confirmation. "His council is extremely loyal to him, many of them having been with him ever since the foundation of Fanelia was first laid. He's a great king. He's a forward thinker, responsible for many of the reforms that have given Fanelia the edge over the other countries and made it in league with Torushina. He's just. He puts his people's welfare over his own, but sometimes he forgets to take care of himself because of that."

"He has been one to neglect himself. I see old habits don't die hard."

"His council says that he should get a queen soon. They said he needs one not just to produce an heir, but as a companion who can take care of him and make him live a little longer," Merle joked, eliciting a smile from Hitomi. "At the rate he's going, he's going to stay as a bachelor until the end of his days. Apart for the match-making attempts of the old councilors, Lord Van doesn't have much interaction with the female species. I just don't understand why he wants to be alone most of the time."

"Old habits never do die hard," Hitomi grinned.

"But really, I thought that he would change after the war," Merle sighed. "I thought he'd be more open to women after having met you. True he's more sociable now, but he's still the same Lord Van who wouldn't really approach a woman if he didn't have sufficient reason to do so. And come to think of it, he doesn't seem to like any of the women his council 'matches' with him."

"Maybe Van likes the women, but he just doesn't like them enough to have a lasting relationship with them," Hitomi replied softly. She was feeling slightly uneasy after hearing Merle's words, not quite understanding the reason why.

"I guess so. But still… Damn it he's too picky. It's not that the council didn't match him with good women. They were all beautiful, well-educated and belonged to the best families from all across Gaea. But he didn't want them," Merle sighed once more. After a few moments' pause, her face suddenly lit up with realization. Hitomi didn't miss the glint in her eyes. "Or maybe…"

"Or maybe what?"

"Maybe he already knows who he wants to marry, and he's probably just waiting for her to come back."

"I guess she might be living in a far away country."

"Yes, a planet away to be exact.," Merle scowled, quite frustrated with Hitomi for not getting the point.

"Merle?"

"Do I have to spell it out for you, Hitomi? I thought you already knew! It was obvious to everyone that you and Lord Van shared something during the war," Merle said, crossing her arms over her stomach. "You were practically the only one he would speak a whole paragraph to, however long that paragraph was."

"That's not true. I think it was the opposite," Hitomi said, her unease growing by the second. "It was more like I was opening up to him. He still didn't say much, even when we were together."

"Hitomi, what matters is not the volume but the content," Merle answered. "Lord Van mightn't have talked a lot, but I'm sure he told you things that he didn't tell me or the others for that matter. I really think that you and Lord Van shared something special during the middle of the war, and that something special was what brought out the changes in him during the later days. He changed greatly after he met you. He began to smile more and talk more. He even suggested that we go back home to Adom after the war was over, and usually it was me who suggested those things! That much I can say Hitomi because, after all, I had been with him longest before you arrived. And you know what else I think?"

"What?" Hitomi asked, more out of the intention of humoring the girl than actual curiosity.

The cat-girl leaned a little closer and whispered, "I think you love each other."

Hitomi's eyes widened at the statement. Her heart skipped a beat, and her mind was recalling certain events she thought were of little significance to her. Flashed in her memory were scenes of the time she woke abruptly in the middle of the night at her home in the Mystic Moon, face perspiring from the dream she had about Gaea and Van. She remembered the words they spoke to one another at Adom the day she left to go back home, Sora's song filling the air as a pair of wings lifted her off her feet. She remembered the tears she shed and the embrace they shared at the same cliff at Adom the first time she saw him after ten years. She remembered Kaji and their conversations on the most random things about life, how in between she would suddenly see Van's image in him and suddenly feel uneasy. All of these and many other memories flooded her mind at that instant like clashing tides during a turbulent storm. And as the turbulence subsided, a single statement remained etched in her mind – a statement, said back then with youthful innocence, that suddenly seemed so binding.

_"I want to be with you always…" _

Hitomi bit her lip and looked away, much to Merle's confusion.

"Hitomi, what's wrong? Was it something I said? Is it wrong for me to think that you and Lord Van love each other?"

"No, no Merle. It's not wrong," Hitomi replied softly. "It's not wrong. Nothing's wrong with thinking that way. After all, I really do love him as a friend."

"You're missing the point again!"

"I'm not! Surely. I know perfectly well what you're getting at, and I tell you now that it will never be the love you mean it to be if it's going to be based on the events of the past Merle," Hitomi explained. "We're probably entirely different people now, Merle. We're probably strangers to one another after not having seen each other in ten years. There are so many new things about Van that I don't know, and so many new things about me that he doesn't know. Ten years is enough to set two people apart, and the events of the past might not just be sufficient for us to have the relationship you would like us to have."

"How about you Hitomi? Would you want to have that kind of relationship with Lord Van?" Merle asked slowly and softly.

At this, Hitomi closed her eyes and bit her lip once more.

"I honestly don't know, Merle. I honestly don't know," she whispered. "Besides, would he want to?"

Silence ensued between the two girls, but it was not of the awkward or uneasy kind. Clearly, the both of them were reflecting on what had just been said, and Merle suddenly felt guilty for badgering Hitomi the way she did a while ago. She opened her mouth to apologize when she suddenly spied a figure leaning against the column some few meters behind Hitomi, apparently watching them. She couldn't clearly see who it was, whether or not if it was a male or a female, since the refraction of the sun's light was blinding her.

"What is it Merle?" Hitomi whispered.

"Someone's been listening on us," Merle answered in a low voice. "I'll go check."

Seeing Merle stand up and leave Hitomi so suddenly made Lady Desteria panic into thinking that Merle had seen her eavesdrop, and she immediately hid behind her own column to avoid being seen. The Lady, however, had no real cause to panic as Merle went in the opposite direction. That meant that there was another person aside from her looking on the two girls, and she began to wonder who it was.

"Who is it?" Hitomi called out.

"No one," Merle replied, visibly disappointed at not finding out who it was.

At that instant, the two girls and Lady Desteria heard footsteps and voices from the hallway that led to the Great Chamber. The meeting Van called with the council had already ended, and strangely, a lot of the lords and ladies were very excited over something as they walked to their respective destinations.

"Look, the council's ended," Lady Desteria heard Merle say. "That means Lord Van's probably at his study! Hitomi, come! Let's go visit him."

"What?" came the startled response.

"Yes! Let's go visit him! Come, Hitomi," Merle pulled her to her feet and was about to sprint in the direction of the king's study when Lord Ezra and Lady Minda, together with a few other lords and ladies, approached Hitomi and began talking to her. Lady Desteria, however, could no longer hear their conversation as her two handmaids arrived with the shawl she had sent them to fetch. Nathaniel, who was walking down the walkway, spotted her and greeted her a good morning.

"Good morning to you too, Lord Nathaniel," Lady Desteria cordially responded. "I trust that the council had a productive meeting with the king today?"

"Indeed it was productive," Nathaniel replied, a knowing grin spread across his face. "Everyone is most excited with the preparations for the upcoming celebration, and even though they promised to make it less elaborate than the recent ball, I highly doubt it would be the case."

"Celebration?" Lady Desteria repeated. "When and what for?"

"A fortnight from now, my lady," Nathaniel answered. "And it is to celebrate the return of the Wing Goddess to Fanelia."

"Wing Goddess?" the lady frowned. "My lord, I am confused! She has returned?"

"Yes, my lady. She's been in Fanelia for a few days now, in fact, and has arrived at the palace just last night."

"Has she? How come I haven't seen her?"

"Well, my lady, she's standing right beside Merle over there," Nathaniel said, pointing to the girl beside Merle who was talking amiably with the Lord Ezra, Lady Minda and many other lords and ladies at the palace garden.

"The lady with short, brownish-gold hair is the Wing Goddess?" Lady Desteria asked.

"Yes she is," Nathaniel confirmed. "She is the same Wing Goddess who had won the war with King Van ten years ago."

"I see."

"If you would excuse me, my lady, I have some business to attend to," Nathaniel bowed.

"Yes, of course. Thank you my lord," Lady Desteria curtsied, with her handmaids following in suit. From this Nathaniel took his cue and left the lady to her own thoughts about the conversation she heard between Merle and Hitomi.

"So she's the Wing Goddess," she whispered to herself. Turning to her handmaids, she said, "Come, let us go to the King's study. I would like to seek an audience with him."

"Yes madame," they both curtsied. They then followed their mistress as she proceeded to walk to the King's study.

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED

**Author's Notes: **

Sorry for the long wait! I've been quite busy with school and stuff, so I've made the chapter much longer than usual to make up for it. And just in case you don't see the horizontal lines that separate the scenes in this chapter, you may go visit my website at s1mon3 dot blogspot dot com for the better formatted version of this chapter and the previous ones. Also, please don't forget to review! I'd love to hear from all of you. And if you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I'll be sure to answer them once I release the next chapter. However I am not sure when I'll get to release Chapter 4... grins Depends on when I get to finish it (because I've already started it... now that's a first!), and when I get to decide on certain twists I'll be including in this story. And speaking of twists, since I'm not really that decided on what to include and what not to include, this story is subject to editing anytime. Updates might not be in the form of a new chapter but a newly-edited chapter, so please don't be surprised when that happens. I'm open to suggestions too, just in case you have something in mind.

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! :D I hope you guys have enjoyed the chapters so far and will continue reading until the end. See you guys around! :D


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